Baroness Warsi welcomes conclusions of UN Human Rights Council

Organisation: Foreign & Commonwealth Office Page history: Published 28 March 2014 Policy: Promoting human rights internationally Topics: Foreign affairs, + 2 others Minister: The Rt on !aroness "arsi Worl locations: !urma, + 4 others

The #$ uman Rights %ouncil concluded its 2&th 'ession today (ith im)ortant resolutions on 'ri *an+a, ,PR-, .ran, 'yria and !urma/
'enior Foreign 0ffice Minister !aroness "arsi said1 The #- (elcomes the strong action (hich the uman Rights %ouncil has ta+en on 'ri *an+a, ,PR-, .ran, 'yria and !urma at this session/ . am also encouraged by the %ouncil2s effecti3e res)onse to a range of other critical human rights situations including #+raine and 'outh 'udan/ The #- 3ery much (elcomes the action ta+en by the #$ uman Rights %ouncil on 'ri *an+a, (hich has established an international in3estigation into allegations of 3iolations and abuses of international la( on both sides during the military conflict, and calls on the 'ri *an+an go3ernment to ma+e further )rogress on human rights, reconciliation and a )olitical settlement/ This (as the right decision/ The 'ri *an+an )eo)le ha3e (aited long enough to +no( the truth of (hat ha))ened to their lo3ed ones, and members of the #$ uman Rights %ouncil ha3e hel)ed to ensure that this is )ossible/ "e ho)e that the 'ri *an+an go3ernment (ill embrace this o))ortunity

to establish the truth, to ma+e )rogress on human rights concerns, and to lay the ground(or+ for lasting )eace and )ros)erity/ 4The #- continues to condemn in the strongest terms Russia2s flagrant disregard of #+raine2s so3ereignty and territorial integrity/ .n the %ouncil (e called for an immediate, com)rehensi3e and inde)endent in3estigation into all human rights 3iolations and abuses/ "e also 5oined others in raising our serious concerns about credible re)orts of +idna))ings of 5ournalists and acti3ists, the bloc+ing of inde)endent media and the barring of inde)endent obser3ers/ The #- shares the dee) concern felt across the (orld for the increasingly deteriorating situation in the 'yrian 6rab Re)ublic including the continued systematic and (ides)read 3iolations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian la(/ The high le3el of su))ort for the 'yrian )eo)le (as again made clear in the %ouncil/ The %ouncil rene(ed the %ommission of .n7uiry mandate so they can continue to document 3iolations and abuses, demanded that the 6ssad regime coo)erate fully (ith the %ommission of .n7uiry and reaffirmed that all those res)onsible for horrific atrocities cannot hide and must be held accountable/ The ,emocratic Peo)le2s Re)ublic of -orea has for too long refused to com)ly (ith its international obligations or engage )ro)erly (ith the %ouncil/ The %ommission of .n7uiry2s findings indicated (ides)read, state sanctioned horrific 3iolations of human rights/ The %ouncil res)onded to the recommendations in the %ommission of in7uiry re)ort by agreeing the strongest )ossible resolution to date, (hich set out clear ste)s to enable continued documentation, made it clear that those res)onsible (ould be held to account and rene(ed the mandate of the ')ecial Ra))orteur/ The #- also strongly su))orted the rene(al of the mandate of the ')ecial Ra))orteur on .ran/ The #- (elcomes the ado)tion of the resolution on !urma by consensus/ "e strongly su))orted this resolution (hich rightly recognises both )rogress and the serious challenges (hich remain, in )articular the situation in Ra+hine 'tate, the need for constitutional reform the im)ortance of o)ening an 0ffice of the igh %ommissioner for uman Rights office and rene(ed the mandate of the ')ecial Ra))orteur/

The #- is delighted that the resolution on *ibya en5oyed such (ide su))ort and co8 s)onsorshi)/ This is testimony to the commitment and desire of the international community to stand (ith, and assist *ibya, as it (or+s to )romote and )rotect human rights/ "e must not shy a(ay from the considerable human rights challenges faced by *ibya and (e (ill su))ort the go3ernment in tac+ling these challenges head on/ The #- (elcomes the attention )aid by the %ouncil to the deteriorating situation in 'outh 'udan/ There (as unanimous agreement that s(ift and urgent action is needed and that the situation should be +e)t under constant re3ie( to ensure the human rights situation is addressed and those res)onsible for 3iolations and abuses are held to account/ There (ere a (ide range of thematic initiati3es in the %ouncil this session/ "e continue to su))ort im)ortant resolutions on torture and human rights defenders and )artici)ated in the )anel on the )rotection of ci3il society s)ace/ Protection of the s)ace in (hich ci3il society o)erates is 3ital and (e (ill continue to call for states to refrain from and ensure ade7uate )rotection from acts of intimidation or re)risals against ci3il society actors/ Peo)le around the (orld loo+ to this %ouncil to defend their fundamental rights, freedoms and dignity/ . am delighted that the #nited -ingdom has once again been afforded the o))ortunity to contribute to this 3ital (or+ as a member of the %ouncil/ "ithout action if (e let human rights 3iolations go unchec+ed and ignored (e so( the seeds for instability, conflict and humanitarian %risis/ 9arly and effecti3e action is so im)ortant and the %ouncil must be at the forefront of that effort/ The #- (ill continue to (or+ to ensure it res)onds a))ro)riately to all 3iolations of human rights, (here3er they occur/

!urther information Follo( Foreign 0ffice Minister !aroness "arsi on t(itter :'ayeeda"arsi Follo( the Foreign 0ffice on t(itter :foreignoffice Follo( the Foreign 0ffice on faceboo+ and ;oogle+ Media en7uiries

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